Such a tri-axial or 3D handling apparatus is generally known for a fluid analysis apparatus. In this case, fluid analysis uses what are referred to as micro-titer plates, which exhibit a number of small recesses, referred to as “wells” arranged in a matrix, which accommodate the fluid to be analysed. The number of wells is typically 96 or 384, up to 1536. Fluid is added to or removed from the wells or analysed by means of what is referred to as a pipette head. This is secured to the handling carrier of a tri-axial apparatus of the aforementioned kind and can be moved in three axes of movement positioned vertically to each other by means of a horizontal x-axis, a horizontal y-axis arranged offset to it by 90° and a vertical z-axis in turn arranged offset to both the x-axis and the y-axis by 90° within a manipulation area determined by these axes of movement. The vertical z-axis thus forms the last of the three axes of movement to be moved.
For adding or removing fluid to or from the wells or for analysing the fluid, the micro-titer plate remains stationary, whilst the pipette head is moved with the aid of the 3D handling apparatus. Consequently, to approach a particular well, the pipette head must be moved downwards in the direction of the z-axis, and after adding, removing or analysing fluid, moved back upwards in the direction of the z-axis. These handling operations are consequently carried out when the pipette head is fully extended in a downwards direction. This results in a comparatively large degree of play, which means that appropriate limits are set to ensure precision with each respective handling operation.
A series of analyses must be conducted at temperatures that have been reduced to below ambient. For this purpose, the entire analysis apparatus currently has to be cooled and operated in a cooling chamber. This is space-consuming and expensive and both handling and accessibility are bad.
The currently known tri-axial handing apparatus for fluid analysis devices have the further disadvantage that in terms of the respective axle body, the potential travel path of the corresponding carrier component is small compared to the corresponding axle length. Thus, current handling apparatus and the analysis devices they accommodate, given a determined travel path or manipulation area, which must be achieved, must be designed to have a comparable high volume. Consequently, the previously known apparatus or devices are relatively space-consuming. This limits their usability and application as laboratory devices accordingly.
Each of the respective carrier components can be moved, with the aid of a servo-motor with belt drives or a step motor with cam plates, in the direction of the respective axes of movement. In order to be able to achieve any desired position with the pipette head within the manipulation area, the drives can be controlled independently of each other. The previously used drives however have the disadvantage of being comparatively expensive, requiring a comparatively large amount of space or construction area and in terms of their movement dynamics, useful life and achievable level of precision, fail to satisfy the requirements placed upon laboratory apparatus or micro-analysis devices.
Finally, use of the previously known drives for the carrier components requires additionally provided path measuring devices to be mounted on each axle body. This is also expensive and these path-measuring devices require additional space. Furthermore, the measuring accuracy in respect of each position of the carrier component is limited accordingly, as determined by the path measuring devices to be provided separately, in addition to the drives.